ZAMBEEF Products has been named the second fastest growing retailer in Africa, with revenue growth of 23 percent in 2013.

Zambeef CEO Carl Irwin attributed the growth to its major focus on building a strong retail and distribution network.

“According to the report by the leading accountancy firm (Deloitte), Zambeef’s revenue grew by 23 percent in 2013, only surpassed by Botswana’s Choppies Enterprise Limited, and out-stripping the lines of other big-name brands such as Spar, Shoprite, Mr Price, Woolworths and Foschini,” said Mr Irwin.

He said Zambeef’s retail and distribution network has been structured to ensure customers have easy and convenient access to all products.

“The retail network is predominately focused on the group’s cold chain food products division which is at the heart of the company’s operations,” he said.

Mr Irwin said the division that includes the production, distribution and retailing of beef, chicken, pork, fish, dairy products and eggs was expected to drive the growth of Zambeef in 2016.

He said the company’s retail drive had seen the upgrade of existing outlets and roll out of new ultra-modern “macro” outlets offering meat, dairy and eggs alongside stock feed and day-old chicks in strategic locations nationwide, which had met with an overwhelming response from customers.

Mr Irwin explained that in 2015 alone, Zambeef grew its retail outlet network to 150 stores from the previous 139 with several more stores planned for 2016 by the company directly as well as through its partnership with Shoprite.

He said Zambeef hopes to roll out more of its macro-outlets or ‘‘one-stop’’ outlets across the country so that customers could purchase all its products in one place.

“In addition to its own branded outlets, Zambeef’s 20-year-old partnership with Shoprite has also helped the company grow; Shoprite has eight new stores planned for 2016 to make a total of 34 Shoprite butcheries throughout Zambia that are operated by Zambeef,” Mr Irwin said.

He said the strategic relationship with Shoprite also extends to Nigeria and Ghana where the supermarket chain was rolling out seven additional stores in the coming year.

Mr Irwin said based on year-on-year revenue growth for the Top 10 fastest growing retail companies, Zambeef’s revenue increased by 23 per cent in 2013 with a composite annual growth rate of 27.4 per cent from 2011-2013 – representing retail revenue of US$171.8 million.